Friday, September 14, 2007

Whooping Crane Festival

Jane Duden and I headed out to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge first thing this morning, but it was way too windy for this year's cranes to fly. We spent some time talking to people with Operation Migration, and then we headed down to Baraboo to the International Crane Foundation. I got to spend time with a former student of mine who is now a scientist with ICF. And I got lots of photos of this captive breeding pair of Whooping Cranes.

Tomorrow I'll try to get photos of wild Whoopers at Necedah, and the weather is supposed to be perfect for some practice flights, but for now I'm really happy with the ones I got today. I posted just 6 of them for now, but will post more when I get home, all at my Whooping Crane Photo Gallery.

1 comment
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It's so funny... you and Jane Duden crossed paths with Peggy and me at Necedah (the tower) and then last Saturday (9/15) at the Whooping Crane Festival! Jane had promised to say "hi", but while we all talked to the OM team folks, it wasn't until late afternoon when you had left we heard that they had seen Jane! LOL! Abby & Nadia (crane girls) who folded the many paper cranes, raising over $3000 for OM were there and they missed her too! But it was such a cool festival... I spent much time with the Patuxent chick-rearing folk, as they are not usually accessible, and I feel unsung heroes in this tremendous project.

I would loved to have said 'hello'... heck, cell phones work in Wisconsin... sometimes! Jane and I both forgot to swap numbers though! Oh well.

Nice pics... even if yours and mine were from different levels at the observation tower, milliseconds apart! Next time, do come up to the top! I would have made room for you both! LOL! And... the 'Awwwwww' photo... what a cool shot you shared! Very nice story of the Macaque and the pigeon! Thanks!